Blues go down to rampant Reading

Birmingham City went down 3-1 and lost their second place in the table to Reading at St Andrews on Saturday and it was Kevin Doyle who hit his 16th goal of the season that sent Blues on their way to defeat.

James McFadden looked to be having a good game on his return but it was him that fouled Hunt in the 13th minute 25 yards from goal. Hunt took the free kick himself and bent the ball over the wall and into the corner of the net.

Maik Taylor almost kept the ball out, he got a hand to it but the effort was too powerful.

Kevin Phillips put Blues level against the run of play when he burst through the middle and fired the ball to the keeper`s right from the edge of the area.

But Birmingham were only level for six minutes before falling behind to a Doyle goal. Stephen Hunt sent over a cross and Doyle flicked the ball on with his head, past Taylor and into the corner of the net.

Blues then went forward in search of another equaliser and were unlucky not to find it when Jaidi then saw his header blocked by team-mate Cameron Jerome and then Federici made a fine save to deny Phillips.

But any hopes of a fightback were killed off when Doyle put in a cross from the right touchline and Cisse goat up highest to smash a header home from six yards.